Friday, July 20, 2007

It's bigger than I thought it'd be and there's a pretty good selection of everything. And many hours after the opening - it was still packed! But there were plenty of check out lines and things moved quickly.

Plus there were even enough two for one specials that I can make the odd purchase there.

The only serous glitch was the people I saw running screaming out of the coffee shop area, trying to rip their eyes from their sockets. So, forewarned, I went it and took a look. And there they were.

Hanging on the walls.

The ugliest thrift-school fake French paintings ever made. Too ugly to work as decoration, too boring to work as kitsch.

OK - it's clear they have to go.

Now!

After all this is... Downtown... and not some hick suburb. As for what to replace them with - easy. Photos of the historic locations of the Ralph's Market.

More than 1,000 people lined up around the block as downtown Los Angeles' first supermarket in half a century opened its doors.

The huge turnout at 9th and Flower streets surprised organizers and spoke to the symbolic value of the Ralphs opening at a time when downtown is seeing a rebirth as a loft and condo hub.

After decades of decline, downtown is in the middle of a revitalization and building boom thanks to an influx of more than 20,000 residents who live in new high-rise towers and restored historic buildings. The new residents have long complained that there is no supermarket in the city center, forcing them to drive miles to get groceries.

The crowd wrapped around the block this morning chanting, "Open! Open!"